


It’s All Worth It

by bokutos_official_simp



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:42:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26209630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bokutos_official_simp/pseuds/bokutos_official_simp
Summary: It’s Matsukawa’s soft chuckle that brings a proud smile on his face. He wants to hear it more. He wants to hear a full on laughing bout from the curly haired boy. And that was his goal for the next three years.Better summary: Hanamaki isn’t in love with Matsukawa but it’s a different story the boy’s smile
Relationships: Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei
Comments: 1
Kudos: 33





	It’s All Worth It

The way Yahaba and Watari—and the rest of the volleyball team’s younger players—see Matsukawa wasn’t always true. Once upon a time, Matsukawa wasn’t a jokester. He didn’t poke fun at his teammates or flash a smile when talking to others. In fact, he rarely even spoke. 

It‘s their first year at Aobajōsai. Oikawa and Iwaizumi seems to be attached at the hip. Iwaizumi acts annoyed by Oikawa’s mere presence but Hanamaki knows better. Hanamaki was always like that: he can read someone easily. Not at the level of Oikawa, but enough to see the two’s friendship was just odd like that. Unspoken love and dependency. Someone to lean on. 

Hanamaki doesn’t have that; he doesn’t have a best friend. Sure he has friends, and most of his classmates find his company comforting and amusing. But no, he doesn’t have a best friend—or even close friends. 

So when the first years—Oikawa, Iwaizumi, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki—decide to sit to lunch together, Hanamaki doesn’t expect much. He reads that Matsukawa only joined because, what else would he do? As far as Hanamaki is aware, Matsukawa is a loner. Is it a choice? Now that’s a mystery to Hanamaki. 

Hanamaki says a joke—something sexual probably—and he doesn’t even care about Oikawa’s offend yelp or Iwaizumi’s disapproving scoff. It’s Matsukawa’s soft chuckle that brings a proud smile on his face. He wants to hear it more. He wants to hear a full on laughing bout from the curly haired boy. And that was his goal for the next three years. 

-

“Matsukawa-kun,” Hanamaki calls. 

Matsukawa looks over his shoulder. He still wasn’t use to such a deep voice to come from such a innocent looking boy like Hanamaki. Once he realizes it’s him, he stops and lets him catch up. 

“Hm,” Hanamaki sounds like he’s in thought, “Do you have a nickname? Matsukawa is such a long name.” 

Matsukawa cocks an eyebrow before shrugging. “Not really. And Hanamaki is just as long-“

“Makki~” a sing song voice makes both of them stop and look over. 

Oikawa and Iwaizumi are walking over, the former being the one who spoke. 

“Did you just call me Makki?” Hanamaki sounds amused. 

“I hope you don’t mind,” Oikawa laughs, “Though even if you do, I don’t care. Makki is just such a cute nickname! Isn’t it, Iwa-chan?” 

Iwaizumi just grunts, clearly not enjoying his own nickname. 

“No fun, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa scoffs. He takes a spot in the front of the group, not that the others minds. He’s just naturally the leader. “You too, Matsukawa. Now what should I call you?” He taps his chin, deep in thought. 

“No one escapes his nicknames,” Iwaizumi comments while his friend is thinking. “No matter how much times I punch him.”

Iwaizumi’s deadpan expression makes Hanamaki snort with laughter. Which reminds him why he even came over to Matsukawa in the first place. 

“I got it!” Oikawa suddenly says, “Mattsun~”

Iwaizumi furrows his eyebrows. “How come only I get -chan?” 

“Makki-chan,” Matsukawa jokes, though his face is neutral. 

As the two best friends bicker in front of them, Hanamaki and Matsukawa stay in the back. Hanamaki makes a sly comment that leaves Oikawa glaring at him and Iwaizumi not even attempting to hide his amusement. 

But Matsukawa seems unfazed. It he didn’t make a soft “hmph”, Hanamaki would assume that he hadn’t even heard it. And the fact he did—and didn’t laugh—makes Hanamaki frown inwardly. What will it take to make him laugh loudly? 

-

After a while, it becomes normal for Hanamaki to join in with teasing Oikawa (Iwaizumi being the lead of course). When he isn’t joining, he’s encouraging it with snickers and sneers. 

But it’s not what Hanamaki wants. Occasionally he makes Oikawa laugh, and getting an amused glance from Iwaizumi wasn’t a hard task. Shido and Yudo are like Hanamaki’s other classmates: they find his presence amusing but aren’t exactly his friend (and Hanamaki was okay with that). The senpais of the volleyball club also enjoys having him around. 

When their second year rolls around, Watari is more than happy to offer a gentle laugh; though, those jokes were mostly cheesy puns. Yahaba, full of admiration for Hanamaki, felt happy whenever the jokes were to get him to laugh. As for Matsukawa. 

Matsukawa becomes more comfortable around his peers, most notably Hanamaki. He chuckles at his jokes from time to time, they walk home together, and they become their own pair (everyone in the team seemed to fall into pairs). 

But Hanamaki isn’t satisfied. He has yet to see Matsukawa double over in laughter; he hadn’t got him to die from how funny his jokes were. Even in his attempts, he makes a certain senpai—who never so much as smiles—burst out laughing for a good 10 minutes. Hanamaki would be proud, but he‘s too focused on Matsukawa’s reaction. He finds himself staring at the slightly younger boy. But why?

As the months pass, making Matsukawa laugh becomes easier. It’s not so much of getting him to laugh being a challenge (it wasn’t anymore, not for Hanamaki), but more of seeing it. Hanamaki does it purely to see it again. 

Hanamaki‘s just happy to see Matsukawa smile or hear his laugh. It becomes the thing he looked forward to the most. With every joke he throws out, Hanamaki subconsciously looks at Matsukawa. And Matsukawa‘s usually looking at him too, giving him a smirk or even outwardly laughing. 

One day at practice, Hanamaki tells Iwaizumi a joke. The others around him rolls their eyes in amusement, as does Iwaizumi. Hanamaki glances at Matsukawa, whose eyes are closed while he laughs. 

“Makki,” Iwaizumi’s voice makes him look at him again. But Iwaizumi is glancing between Hanamaki to Matsukawa, a glint of suspicion in his green eyes. 

Hanamaki tilts his head curiously. “Yeah?” 

Iwaizumi shakes his head, telling Hanamaki to forget it. Before Hanamaki can just shrug it off, Oikawa is behind Iwaizumi. He uses him as a arm rest and smirks knowingly at his best friend. 

“You see it too, hm Iwa-chan?” Oikawa’s voice is sorta teasing. “Makki~ Is there anything you want to confess to your good friends?”

Hanamaki subconsciously looks over at Matsukawa. The tall middle blocker is already on the other side of the gym. 

Hanamaki shrugs. “What do you mean?”

“Makki, Makki, Makki,” Oikawa shakes his head, “It’s clear you like our middle blocker over there. Just admit it.”

Hanamaki is stuck with a confused look on his face. It never crossed his mind up until then. Maybe he does like his friend—now his best friend—but then maybe he doesn’t. Maybe he just likes seeing Matsukawa happy. 

“Possibly,” Hanamaki admits calmly, “Never really thought about it.”

Iwaizumi is a bit surprised, “Possibly?” He echos, “How can you not know?” 

Hanamaki doesn’t even take a second to think of the response. “It doesn’t really matter. Whether I like him or not, I just wanna see him happy.” Then his eyes sparkles with mischievous, “Don’t think about it too hard, Iwa-chan.”

Before he can be attacked for using the nickname, Oikawa starts snickering. The anger is now directed at him and Hanamaki makes a clean escape. 

“Whatcha say this time?” Matsukawa is now next to him. He’s watching, with amusement, as Oikawa whines for help. 

Hanamaki isn’t even watching the pair. For the first time, he’s left speechless. The amusement in Matsukawa’s eyes make Hanamaki’s heart dance with an unknown feeling. Matsukawa’s happy. So, Hanamaki is happy. 

-

Hanamaki wants to kill Iwaizumi and Oikawa. If the two never asked that question, Hanamaki wouldn’t even consider it a possibility. 

But now, he notices the smallest things about Matsukawa. His nervous habits, the way his face burns red when he’s caught sleeping in class, even the way he texts (like seriously why does he only capitalize i’s?). He can read his moods, even past his expressionless face. They become as close as possible. Hell, Hanamaki was willing to bet even making out wouldn’t be awkward. 

(Not that he thought about it....Okay, maybe he did just a little).

Hanamaki sighs, making Oikawa and the other third years look at him with surprise. He was always cheery and joking, but this sigh sounded sad. Or maybe just defeated. He forehead is against the table’s edge. 

“Makki, you good?” Iwaizumi is the one to ask. This makes Hanamaki turns his head so his cheek lies on the cold tabletop. 

Hanamaki bites his lip nervously. Matsukawa had gotten up from the lunch table a few moments ago and Hanamaki caught himself staring as he left. 

“It’s nothing,” Hanamaki sighs again, “It’s just... fuck, what if I like him?” He groans, closing his eyes so he can’t see his teammates expressions. 

Oikawa snorts. It wasn’t as if Hanamaki had said a joke, so the pink haired boy looks up with confusion. 

“That’s it?” Oikawa asks as if Hanamaki’s heart wasn’t weakening by the second. “Makki, it’s okay. You probably do like him, so stop with this ‘what if’ shit.” 

Iwaizumi jabs Oikawa. Of course, the taller boy whines in protest. 

“Makki,” Iwaizumi starts, “It’s not the end of the world if you like him. Why not just tell him?” 

Hanamaki starts to chew the inside of his mouth. “I don’t know...”

Yudo is about to speak when Matsukawa rejoins them. Hanamaki offers him a weak smile. 

As more chatter happens at the lunch table, Hanamaki is in his own thoughts. And he comes to one more conclusion. 

-

“Hm, that isn’t a surprise,” Matsukawa comments from beside Hanamaki. 

“Yeah, but I’m still happy for him,” Hanamaki admits. 

Even through the constant teasing of Oikawa—Matsukawa had finally joined in—the third years are still proud to call him their captain. Hanamaki‘s happy when he sees the look on Oikawa’s face as he’s handed the #1 jersey. 

Hanamaki gets #3, Matsukawa #2, and Iwaizumi, or course, is given #4 as the ace.

“Me too,” Matsukawa agrees, “He can keep this team in check. Mm, Yahaba looks like a proud son.”

Hanamaki snickers as he looks at Yahaba. The younger setter is beaming at Oikawa, admiration for his senpai as clear as ever. 

“He’s definitely Oikawa’s favorite.”

Matsukawa scoffs with amusement, “Yeah, only because he calls him senpai.” 

“I dunno, maybe he likes setters the best?” Hanamaki jokes. 

“Thank god I’m not a setter.” 

Hanamaki laughs because he knows Matsukawa said a joke. He’d be lying if he said he knew the joke, though. He’s too focused on Matsukawa’s fake deadpan. 

That’s another thing; on top of watching him closer, Hanamaki also started admiring the middle blocker’s face. From his thick eyebrows, to his heavy lidded eyes, to his slightly curled lip. The way his curly hair fell messily onto his forehead is what Hanamaki usually focuses on. 

The conclusion Hanamaki came up with months ago was simple: he was in love with Matsukawa’s smile. Not the boy himself, but his smile and laughter and any indication he was happy or amused. It became Hanamaki’s goal to make his best friend laugh. 

-

“Thank you for the pass three years!”

Oikawa’s words rings through Hanamaki’s ears as they finish the clean up. By the time they leave, the under of his eyes are raw and wet—and he just knows it’s red since the cool air outside stings them. 

Hanamaki watches Oikawa and Iwaizumi walk in the front. They always do. And Hanamaki is okay with that; it doesn’t matter where he is, as long as he‘s next to his best friend. 

Speaking of, Hanamaki looks at Matsukawa. As much as the boy originally never smiled, Hanamaki also never saw him upset. He was always neutral until meeting Hanamaki. 

The look of sadness—something Hanamaki never saw on Matsukawa’s face—really makes his heart twist. 

Hanamaki stops in his tracks. Since Matsukawa is slightly behind him, he crashes into the shorter boy. 

“Ow. Makki, what the hell-“

“I hate it,” Hanamaki suddenly says. He curls his fist up into balls. He’s aware his breath is shaky but he just has to say it. “I’m in love... I’m in love with your smile, Matsukawa.”

The next few seconds are like hours. Hanamaki doesn’t hear footsteps, so he knows the other third years stopped as well—and are now watching them. But Hanamaki doesn’t care. 

“I’m in love with it and..and I don’t ever wanna see you sad. Not ever again. So I promise—as your best friend—to make you smile any chance I get.” 

Matsukawa stares at him for a second. Hanamaki can hear his heart shatter. Did he go too far? Did it sound like a confession? 

Suddenly, the black haired boy smiles. Sadness still lingers, but he smiles. He lets out a sad and forced laugh too. “Makki... you already do. You already make me smile all the time.” 

For some reason, those words make Hanamaki smile. A smile that makes Matsukawa smile even wider. It was child-like innocence; his intentions were pure and possibly romantic. The two of them aren’t sure, but are okay either way. 

Hanamaki gets closer and wraps Matsukawa into a hug. The taller boy returns it with a happy sigh. 

To Hanamaki, it‘s worth it. It‘s all worth it to see his best friend happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Matsuhana is the only Hanamaki ship I love


End file.
